he Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River is one of the sights students and professors will enjoy on this CCM trip. Credit: John Soltes
MORRIS COUNTY — The Parks Program, an interdisciplinary institute at County College of Morris (CCM), is venturing to Yellowstone National Park with its first-ever student group this month.
Seven CCM students were competitively selected for this once-in-a-lifetime, free opportunity to visit the national park from May 14 through May 19. They are sharing the experience with three CCM professors who are collaborating onsite to teach art history, biology, and storytelling in the amazing outdoor classroom.
“We’re very excited for this interdisciplinary trip to Yellowstone National Park that will serve as our learning laboratory,” says Dr. Brian Sahotsky, professor in the Art & Design department and one of the program organizers. “This trip in itself is not a program completion requirement but rather a capstone for students to investigate several disparate aspects of what makes the conservation of natural lands so great.”
The four-day journey begins with seeing the incredible magnitude of Yellowstone and learning the history of artists, naturalists, and explorers. Sahotsky will lead the group through Artists Point, Yellowstone Falls, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone providing opportunities for students to journal and sketch to capture the beautiful scenery.
Later that week, Professor John Soltes, an award-wining journalist teaching in the Communication department at CCM, will provide an overview of the cultural histories and discuss the major issues facing Yellowstone in the 21st Century. “We will also meet Dr. Shane Doyle, a member of the Crow Nation, and visit one of the tribe’s ancestral spots,” says Soltes.
The itinerary also includes looking for wildlife, such as bears, wolves, bison, elk, and moose, in Yellowstone’s Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley. CCM Biology Professor Samantha Gigliotti will use her many years of experience conducting educational sessions about wildlife conservation to delve into this topic in Wonderland.
“Yellowstone National Park is one of the few places left in the United States where you can still see large mammals that once roamed the majority of our country,” says Gigliotti. “Our students will be presented with this amazing opportunity to learn about these incredible animals’ biology and life history and immerse themselves in the landscapes that support them.”
This unique adventure wraps up with seeing the Yellowstone Caldera, the supervolcano that last erupted about 640,000 years ago creating a 30 x 45-mile landform, and also visiting a variety of geyser basins including Old Faithful.
“Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been an advocate for protecting the Earth’s diverse ecosystems,” says Peter Balluffi-Fry, an International Studies major from Mountain Lakes, who will be going on the trip. “Being able to explore and learn about the national park that inspired Americans to begin protecting our country’s natural environment is what ultimately motivated me to apply. “I’m looking forward to witnessing all of Yellowstone’s natural, majestic beauty first-hand, from the Grand Prismatic to the bison and bears that call Yellowstone home.
CCM students interested in going on the trip submitted an application with an essay explaining why they wanted to travel to Yellowstone. According to Sahotsky, “It was competitive with many more applicants than slots we had available.”
CCM is currently ranked #1 in New Jersey for best associate degrees and in the top 1.8 percent of the best community colleges nationwide by Intelligent. The college continues to maintain its #1 position in the state in PayScale’s “Best Community Colleges in New Jersey by Salary Potential,” a distinction it has held for five years in a row.
MADISON — The Madison Area Chamber of Commerce businesses will be celebrating Cinco de Madison on Thursday, May 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Shop and dine around the downtown business district and enjoy special discounts and incentives at participating shops and happy hour drink specials at participating restaurants.
Stop by the festive tent Chamber located in front of The Pink Pear, 42 Main Street where the first 100 people will have a chance to win prizes on the “Spin to Win” wheel. Prizes include Madison Gift Checks, products and gift cards from the local business, and other surprises.
MOUNTAIN LAKES — Mountain Lakes Day will be held on July 2 (the rain date of July 3). We are seeking vendors and volunteers to participate. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old.
Please contact Margaret Ng at [email protected] or (973) 476-5782 for more information.
BONTON — As the paper and plastic bag ban in stores goes into effect, why not purchase a reusable bag and support the GFWC Woman’s Club of Boonton.
The club will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $3.00 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag at the ACME store located at 550 Myrtle Avenue, Boonton.
After you purchase your reusable bag, follow the instructions on the tag to Select The Woman’s Club as your non-profit choice. This is a great way to support the Woman’s Club and its community service projects.
The club is also looking for new members, and monthly meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month. Today’s women’s clubs meet for community service, to develop friendship, and leadership skills, and to have fun.
For additional information, email [email protected], and be sure to visit our Facebook page.
The Woman’s Club of Boonton is a non-profit, community service organization and a member of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs (NJSFWC) of GFWC, which was founded in 1894, visit their website at njsfwc.org.
Morris County Surrogate Heather Darling hosted an Open House
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Surrogate Heather Darling hosted an Open House to show off her newly renovated office suite.
The open house was attended by Senator Anthony Bucco, a representative of Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, Sheriff Jim Gannon, County Clerk Ann Grossi, Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen, and County Administrator John Bonanni.
Surrogate Darling gave special thanks to the teams that brought the project to fruition, specifically Buildings & Grounds, Information Technology, the designer, and her Chief of Staff, Christina Ramirez.
Reverend Herman Scott opened the ceremony with a blessing for the new office. The Surrogate’s office was temporarily relocated to a small space for several months while the office suite was taken down to the outer walls and concrete floors.
It had been over 30 years since the suite was renovated and the work was mandated by the county with the caveat that Surrogate Darling be given time in the office before renovations in order to choose the most practical layout for the office now and into the foreseeable future.
“It was time to redesign and rework the office to create an efficient workflow with easy, welcoming access for the public to our office,” said Surrogate Darling. “We added a layer of safety and security for both the public and our staff based on the U.S. Marshall’s assessment for courthouse security.”
The renovation, part of the County’s overall infrastructure maintenance, also coincides with the overall modernization efforts Surrogate Darling has brought to the Surrogate’s Office since 2020 when she became Surrogate.
The Surrogate and her team’s overall goal is to offer the highest level of customer service and respond to the needs of the community by offering easy access and convenience.
The Surrogate’s Office is responsible for the probate of Wills, oversight of the administration of guardianships of incapacitated adults, and guardianships of minors, including money management for these guardianships. The Surrogate also oversees the adoption process in Morris County.
For more information on the Morris County Surrogate’s office click here.
BOONTON — This single-family home has 1,634 square feet on a 6,098 square foot lot containing three bedrooms and one bathroom located at 211 Harrison Street. One car garage. Sold on March 11 for $419,000. It was listed by Andrea Martone, Realty Executives Platinum, and the buyer was represented by Mary Menard with Compass New Jersey.
MORRIS COUNTY — With safety being paramount to Superintendent, Dr. Robert Zywicki, it is no surprise that Mount Olive Public School District has once again ranked as the safest school district in Morris County out of the 41 school districts surveyed. Dr. Zywicki made it clear that “the time and resources dedicated to health and safety are not seen as one time initiatives”, but rather the heart of all initiatives led by Dr. Zywicki and the Mount Olive Board of Education.
The Mount Olive School District continues to lead with full compliance with Alyssa’s Law, numerous panic alarm buttons throughout every school, and a distinct notification system to law enforcement. All facilities are equipped with several visual assistance (strobes) to alert the hearing impaired during an emergency. The district provides armed officers at every school during school hours and after hours, at BOE meetings, during summer school/extended school year, and at events held by outside organizations that take place on BOE property. The district has a full-time Class 3 (School Resource Officer) assigned to the High School. All of the schools are equipped with scanning devices that check visitors prior to gaining entrance to the schools. All district school security staff personnel are all retired police officers and are trained in School Resource Officer Training, CPR, First Aid/Epi-Pen, AED, Stop the Bleed, and CPI (Crisis Prevention Institute).
Mount Olive staff members are trained every year on the security manual for the district and are implementing a district-wide radio project that will enable them to contact the local Police Department directly and where schools can communicate directly with other schools by radio. All security employees wear uniforms along with visible identification cards displayed while they are working. All employees of the district are required to wear identification cards.
Cameras have been an instrumental part of the safety protocols that have made a huge impact on the Mount Olive School District. Not only does every school, bus, and the BOE building all have security cameras, but now as part of a new pilot test, cameras have been installed on the outside of four buses located underneath the stop arm. These cameras are recording continuously and the bus drivers simply press a button if they see any vehicles passing illegally when the bus is stopped. The cameras get a clear shot of the vehicle and license plate in question. That video is sent to James Carifi, the Director of Security for Mount Olive School District, who will petition for a summons for the registered owner of the vehicle, who will eventually be asked to appear in court. Since the implementation of the cameras outside the buses, there have been over 250 violations. The violators will get points on their license and a $500 to $300 fine. Dr. Zywicki and the Mount Olive BOE plan to equip the remaining 72 buses with outside cameras by March of 2022. According to the Director of Security, James Carifi, who is invested in the well being of the students and keeping the children safer, “These cameras have been a difference-maker and a deterrent to motorists, who now think twice before passing stopped school buses and putting children in harm’s way.”
Mount Olive School District continues to provide the safest and most innovative learning environment to all staff and students by prioritizing health and sanitation and meeting and exceeding all of the Covid-19 recommended guidelines.
According to Dr. Zywicki, “MOPD Chief Beecher continues to be an integral part of the safety of our community by continuously having MOPD officers available to support our schools.”
The Mount Olive School District, under the direction of Superintendent, Dr. Zywicki and the Mount Olive Board of Education will continue to prioritize health and safety moving forward, with the goal being to lead by example.
Reprinted from Morris County Focus Magazine, May 2022. Click here to view.
MORRIS COUNTY — On April 28, in recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2022, members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office joined leaders of the law enforcement and the victim advocate community and held a virtual conference to recognize crime victims.
Speakers included Anthony DeVincenzo, M.A., a retired lieutenant from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office who is currently a Training Specialist with the Northeast Regional Children’s Advocacy Center; Commissioner Deputy Director John Krickus; and Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll. Additionally, a victim speaker recounted her domestic violence victimization experience in order that her story may provide courage for others who are dealing with similar situations.
The virtual conference can be viewed by clicking here to visit the Morris County NJ YouTube page.
Attendees included Diana Kurlander, Vice President, Client Services of JBWS Safety, Support & Solutions Abuse; Maria Lagattuta, Director of the Morris County Family Justice Center / JBWS; Maria Vinci Savettiere, Esq., Executive Director of Deirdre’s House, The Center for Morris County’s Child Victims; Mirella Diaz, Associate Director / MDT Coordinator / Clinician of Deirdre’s House, and Morris Plains Police Chief Michael Koroski.
Marking its 41st anniversary this year, Congress annually declares one week as Crime Victims’ Rights Week to honor and recognize crime victims in April. National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is being observed from April 24-30, 2022. The theme this year is “Rights, Access, and Equity for all Victims.” The theme underscores the importance of enforcing victim rights, expanding access to services, and ensuring equity and inclusion for all victims.
John Krickus
Commissioner Deputy Director Krickus presented the Proclamation recognizing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week approved by the Board of Commissioners.
In keeping with this year’s theme, Morris County Prosecutor Carroll dedicated a stepping stone near the victims’ tree as a symbol for victims taking the first step to healing. The victims’ tree was lit to serve as a beacon of hope during the week. In addition, a wreath adorned with a “2022 in Recognition and Remembrance” ribbon has been placed next to the tree.
Colonel Pat Callahan and Major Phillip Buck as well as other ranking Officers of the New Jersey State Police also attended and provided their support and commitment to the protection and expansion of victim’s rights efforts at all levels of law enforcement.
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon added his perspective that victim’s rights programs are critical in ensuring public trust in the criminal justice system and motivating and reassuring citizen-victims that they can have confidence in coming forward with evidence of crimes.
Prosecutor Carroll said, “Our goals and visions are to continue to expand services so that all victims can access such services and move forward with confidence in the criminal justice system. It bears noting that the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Program has been providing critical services for over 40 years, and has set the standard for victim assistance programs for other counties to follow. All victim witness services need support and funding from our county leadership. Morris County has been blessed with consistent support for these critical programs.”
Anthony DeVincenzo applauded the multi-disciplinary approach utilized in Morris County, “I’m consistently amazed by the passionate and dedicated people who are out there doing the work providing services for children and families. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say especially proud and overwhelmed by the work you’ve been doing in the last two years under what I can only imagine are the most trying of circumstances.”
“When you are bringing together a team of people, leveraging all of their expertise, knowledge, and skills, and providing a coordinated response to those victims and/or their circumstances, you are going to have better outcomes. I’ve seen that in my work in Morris County, and across the country. There will be better outcomes for victims and families.”
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is intended to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services, highlight programs, celebrate progress achieved, and honor victims, the professionals, and the agencies who serve them.
Keo Ku Korean BBQ Restaurant (Keo Ku Jang) is located at 245 Route 46 East, Parsippany-Troy Hills
MORRIS COUNTY — If you are a true Korean food aficionado seeking out that exceptional Korean BBQ restaurant, you might want to take the 30–40-mile trip to Bergen County or NYC, where you will find some outstanding venues. Luckily, if you reside in the general Parsippany area, do yourself a favor and skip the trip, and the gas, as Keo Ku BBQ Restaurant, located in a small strip mall on Route 46 East, provides comparable dining and cultural adventure to those more renown locations.
General Manager/Part Owner Brian Kim
Keo Ku BBQ, the first Korean restaurant in Parsippany opened its doors in 1993, owned and operated by the same family for the past 29 years. Current General Manager/Part Owner Brian Kim told me that his father, Jin Kim, and two Uncles, Seung Min and Mun are the initial owners of the restaurant, and now he has joined them to continue this great family business.
On further inquiry, the extremely personable and humble Brian K. explained, “My purpose is to bring authentic Korean food to our guests, offering true, traditional, high quality, fresh, and wholesome food while trying to avoid fusion dishes, which are common in many places. Of course, we offer several creative new dishes to accommodate all our customer’s tastes.” From my point of view, he could not have done a better job of meeting his goals.
Banchan
The entire dinner, from our tantalizing appetizers, assorted banchan, sumptuous entrees, and a highly creative dessert, provided our entire foodie group with an exciting dining adventure. Our highly attentive and genial host, Brian K., took time from his busy day to patiently answer all our questions, explain each serving, and provide helpful recommendations on request. As well as being an exceptional meal, it proved to be an interesting and cultural educational experience enjoyed by everyone.
Keo Ku BBQ is situated on the side of a small strip mall off Route 46 East, just West of New Road. One must watch the easily visible, large red signage leading into the strip mall.
Once entering the attractive entrance, you are immediately impressed with the classy, casual, welcoming, and warm Asian atmosphere throughout the restaurant. It is immaculately clean and spacious, with beautifully arranged seating, decorative wooden partitions separating the rich-looking wooden tables, appointed with traditional Korean eating utensils called Sujeo (수저) (metal chopsticks and long-handled spoon). Unlike other Asian cultures, Koreans use metal chopsticks with squared ends, as opposed to the wooden ones we in the U.S. are familiar with. The interior is softly and comfortably lighted, with soothing-colored walls, furniture, floors, and adornments, perfectly complementing the thoughtfully laid out Korean décor and artifacts throughout the restaurant. You will even find a Koi Pond at the entrance to further enhance the cultural ambiance, along with an interior design reflective of an ethnic, traditional Korean atmosphere. A fun and friendly vibe permeate the entire dining area.
My group of six was comfortably seated in a rear section of the restaurant, set up with nice, large tables, with gas grills in the center of each table with an unobtrusive smoke vent overhead. Each table could easily accommodate 8 to 10 people.
Japchae Noodles
As we perused and discussed the menu, deciding on our appetizers and entrees, we ordered some Terra and Kloud Malt beer (Korean Beers are usually light lagers) while discussing Korean food, culture, etiquette, and history with our knowledgeable host. Eventually, for our shared appetizers we decided on Panjeon 파전 (Scallion and Kimchi Pancakes), Soy Garlic and Spicy Goghujang (spicy red pepper paste) Chicken Wings, Scrambled Egg Korean Style (Gyeranjjim), and Japchae (Sweet Potato Glass Noodles Stir-Fried with Vegetables). The diversity of the tastes, textures, presentation, and aroma of the tangy, salty, sweet, spicy, and flavorful assortment of dishes was mouth-watering and were a tantalizing prelude to what was still to come. It was interesting and exciting to indulge in this satisfying and pleasurable dining experience.
Kimchi
Next out was the Banchan. Traditional Korean meals boast abundant side dishes, called Banchan, a term referring collectively to side dishes in Korean cuisine. Banchan accompanies every meal in Korea and can change daily based on the season, or on the meat or noodle dish you order.
Pat Minutillo
As is tradition, our table was quickly presented with a generous assortment of those side dishes, which included Kimchi (김치), cabbage fermented in a brine of ginger, garlic, green onion, and chili pepper, and Korea’s National dish and served at nearly every Korean meal, assorted vegetables, pickled selections, seafood, bean sprouts, noodles, tofu, rice, dipping sauces and more, that are all part of banchan. Remember, banchan are not an appetizer, but small assorted dishes to complement the main meal.
While we were enjoying the apps and banchan, as well as the camaraderie of sharing this communal meal, our pleasant and accommodating server, Meerah Lee, began to oil and prepare the gas grill, located in the center of each table, for the continuing feast to come.
Meerah expertly prepared the Bulgogi, and accompanying vegetables (불고기). Bulgogi is thinly sliced lean and tender beef, marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, sugar, green onions, and black pepper. Next came the Galbi (갈비), grilled beef short ribs, sliced a little thicker than bulgogi. Both meat selections were nicely marbled and were, tasty, juicy, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth savory. The balanced sweet and savory marinade enhanced each bite. As traditionally eaten, I wrapped the marinated meat, along with the gochugaru paste, in one of the large, fresh, crispy, lettuce leaves provided with the meal, and proceeded to eat them in one bite: Korean style. The crunchiness and toothsome texture of the lettuce, with the spicy bite of gochugaru, along with the umami savoriness of the marinated meat was delectable.
I should note that you can order and grill your own entrees if you prefer instead of allowing the Keo Ku staff to do it. I was informed that is the preference of some guests. As for our group, we were more than happy to let Meerah do her thing, and she did it well.
Gopdol Bibimbap
Not wanting to miss another popular Korean dish we ordered the Gopdol Bibimbap (비빔밥), mixed vegetables, ground beef, fried egg over crispy rice, and served in a hot stove bowl, and served with a dollop of chili pepper paste. Crunchy and luscious, spicy, and sweet, with pickled and fermented notes, delicious addition to the meal.
Despite being more than satiated, we could not pass on a special dessert prepared by our host and guide, Brian Kim. Koreans are particularly fond of chips, according to Mr. Kim, so with a little creativity came his Honey Buttered Chip Dessert, which went amazingly well when dipped into vanilla ice cream. Perfect ending to a perfect meal.
Buttered Chip Dessert with Vanilla Ice Cream
Korean food is not only delicious and full of flavor but also embedded in thousands of years of culture. Looking for your next dining adventure? Looking for an educational dining experience? Go no further than Keo Ku BBQ Restaurant.
Private Parking Lot – Free Wi-Fi – Full Bar – Closed Mondays
Also on the Menu: Jeongols (Hot Pots) & Tang-Jjigae (Sours & Stews)
Keo Ku BBQ also offers catering and can accommodate private parties in their Hak (Crane) Room, a private dining room that can seat up to thirty-two people.
The Keo Ku Corner Bar is a bright open space that can accommodate up to forty seats and fifty-plus people for standing room.
Keo Ku Korean BBQ Restaurant (Keo Ku Jang) is located at 245 Route 46 East, Parsippany-Troy Hills. (973) 244-0032. Menu: KoreanbbqNewJersey.com.
MORRIS COUNTY — On April 28, in recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2022, members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office joined leaders of the law enforcement and the victim advocate community and held a virtual conference to recognize crime victims.
